Skip to main content

Ethics and Religious Aspects

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Public Health
  • 230 Accesses

Synonyms

Meaning; “Arising from habit”; Morality

Definition

Ethics forms one of the main aspects of philosophy. It provides criteria for good and bad behavior and makes judgment on those motives with resulting consequences.

The principle of reason forms the main standpoint on which ethics, as a philosophical discipline, is based. It differs from the classical understanding of theological ethics in that it embraces the moral principles in God's Will and its belief in the prophecy used in God's name at the forefront.

A single definition of religion does not exist. It influences human thought and behavior. It also affects human values, which, due to varying cultures and their historical backgrounds, differ from one another.

Basic Characteristics

History

Ethics became a philosophical discipline under Aristoteles (384–322 BC) but ethics had been at the center of philosophical thinking since the time of Socrates (469–399 BC).

For Aristoteles, understanding of the term ethics required the...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 1,079.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Barrett D, Kurian G, Johnson T (2001) World Christian Encyclopedia, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. Düwell M, Hübenthal C, Hübenthal W, Micha H (2006) Handbuch Ethik, 2nd edn. Metzler, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hauskeller M (1997) Geschichte der Ethik. Deutscher Taschenbuchverlag, München

    Google Scholar 

  4. Höffe O (2006) Lexikon der Ethik. Verlag C.H. Beck, München

    Google Scholar 

  5. King W (2005) Religion. In: Jones L (ed) Encyclopedia of Religion, vol. 11, 2nd edn. Macmillan Reference, Detroit

    Google Scholar 

  6. Korotayev A (2004) World Religions and Social Evolution of the Old World Oikumene Civilizations: A Cross-cultural Perspective. Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY

    Google Scholar 

  7. St. Augustine (1960) In: Ryan JK (trans) The Confessions of Saint Augustine. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc., New York

    Google Scholar 

  8. Stephen P (2007) Morality and Ethics. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stephen_Perle&action=edit. Accessed Feb 2007

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer-Verlag

About this entry

Cite this entry

Winkler, U. (2008). Ethics and Religious Aspects . In: Kirch, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Public Health. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_1050

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5614-7_1050

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-5613-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-5614-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics